Around 1955 a miniature version of the ‘Amphibie GC42’ of George Commeinhes was created by George Herail of Blagnac ( Toulouse ) The main difference was that Commeinhes original GC42 was a big unit which was worn at the divers back, this much smaller ‘Poumondeau’ was worn at the divers chest. The Poumondeau in my collection seems to be built with surplus german tanks from the second world war, I never saw a second Poumondeau but it is well possible that they were all constructed with these german tanks since all looks good and genuine on my set. Unfortunately for George Herail, his fellow frenchman Jacques Y. Cousteau was not amused when he found out that there was a second diving apparatus on the market and he took him to court. Cousteau must have been supported by his fame and status because George Herail was ordered to stop manufacturing and selling his ‘poumondeau’ apparatus because it would have been a copy of Cousteau’s ‘Aqualung’. Which was not true because it was basically a GC42 which dated from before Cousteau’s ‘Aqualung’. Shortly after this event George Herail died.
